As Supreme Court decision nears, administration touts New York benefits of ObamaCare

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to release its opinion on the constitutionality of the law widely known as ObamaCare, the Obama administration is spreading the word about some of the benefits of the in-jeopardy law.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Wednesday that new grants, which will be utilized in the expansion of community health centers, are being made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

Twenty health centers in New York were awarded $10,541,702 in an effort to help increase access to health care for 180,886 more patients. This increase will help to employ about 5,640 more people including doctors, nurses and dental providers nationwide through the formation of new health center service delivery sites.

“The health care law is making our community health centers stronger and ensuring more Americans get the care they need,” Sebelius said in a statement on Tuesday.

Community health centers exist nationwide, and their work helps to ensure quality health care services to people throughout the nation.

Community health centers in 41 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands are the recipients of $128.6 million that will go towards helping give people access to quality health care.

Health centers are known to create employment and economic growth in low-income communities, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Since early 2009, more than 25,300 full-time positions have been created by health centers. Today’s announced award will give money to health centers and communities that surround them, further strengthening the health centers’ ability to tend to patients and create jobs throughout the country.

“Health centers serve more than 20 million patients nationwide and are an integral part of our health care system,” said Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N., administrator of HRSA. “These awards demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to quality health care through the creation of new health center sites.”

According to the HRSA website, it is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and is responsible for providing improved access to health care services for “uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable” people.